Footwear includes dress shoes and casual shoes, running shoes and walking shoes, ski boots, roller skating boots or shoes, boots secured to snow boards, etc. It is applicable for most any type of shoe or boot and to most persons who wear such shoes or boots. It provides varying benefits including but not limited to support, comfort and control (e.g., for maneuvering a skate board).
When walking or running, the heel of the foot impacts a road or walkway surface and it is desirable that the shoe provide absorption of that impact, e.g., a cushioned support. The foot rolls forward to the ball of the feet as the weight is shifted forward and then to the other foot. A cushion is desired under the ball portion of the foot but not to the same extent as at the heel. During the rolling action of the foot in this weight shifting process, many individuals will favor one side or the other so that the weight is not centered on the bottom of the foot. It is accordingly desirable to provide a center confining support at both sides of the instep portion of the foot but starting at the heel for urging squaring of the foot throughout the weight shifting process. These features are known and attempts have been made to provide some of the structure for accomplishing these objectives in the shoe or boot itself. However, they add considerably to the cost of the shoe or boot. Persons having particular support problems (which is all too often) will seek the help of orthodics, here considered to be a custom built insole for a shoe that specifically is fit to an individual. These orthodics are designed to provide the support as described above with emphasis on certain of the features. Such orthodics are expensive to obtain but can often be transferred from one pair of shoes to another and will accordingly have a life that extends over the life of several pairs of shoes.
Applicant has designed a structure for an insole that can be mass produced and provides the desired support and comfort of customized orthodics for a large percentage of persons having foot support problems and at a far less cost. Further it is discovered that providing such support has beneficial results of better control for persons, e.g., skiing or snow boarding and the like. With the added support, leaning to one side or the other more readily transfers the individual's weight to that side of the shoe and thus to the ski or snow board which is designed to effect turning of the ski or board.